Why You Need Digital Skills on Your Non-Exec Board

We are living in a world where technology is widely held as a solution to almost any problem we can imagine. In housing we are trying to go digital first, gain insights from Big Data, deploy Internet of Things sensors into homes, but what does this all actually mean?

When we talk about bringing technology into the heart of our businesses we don’t just mean procuring more kit, deploying the latest tech trends or embarking on digital channel shift. To truly benefit from and embrace new technology we should see adoption as a wider business transformation activity. The biggest changes required when adopting new tech will come from changing processes and people not hardware and software. These are very difficult challenges to manage. They require brilliant people with experience working in organisations where digital really is default and with the will to drive the agenda against the many obstacles and setbacks that face a digital transformation agenda.

So what can we do? There is no one solution to such a complex task but their are a number of essential activities that will put your organisation in the right place to achieve digital transformation.

HACT have identified a lack of digital skills on the non-exec boards of housing providers across the country. If we are to achieve digital transformation we need champions who can lead from the front, we recognise the need to have those at the top of their game in finance, management and accountancy yet there is a conspicuous absence of CTO or CIOs on housing provider boards and very few individuals with experience in the tech sector more generally.

This absence is not just a block on innovation in housing it could potentially pose a risk to the business. As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous it also becomes more complex. 15 years ago cyber security was something that most businesses had no understanding of now a robust cyber security policy is essential and this raises the question does your organisation have the expertise to scrutinise it?

To address this issue HACT are partnering with specialist recruiters Hannington Tame to bring candidates with tech expertise onto the boards of housing providers.

If your organisation is looking to make digital transformation a key strategic focus get in touch to find out how HACT can support this goal.